Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending that boys receive the human papillomavirus vaccine.

The vaccine, which would protect boys and their future partners against HPV, has long been recommended for girls to prevent cervical cancer.

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HPV is the No. 1 sexually transmitted disease in the United States.

Phil Keane was one of the more than 8,000 HPV-positive people diagnosed with head and neck cancers this year. Keane has stage 4 throat cancer.

I was thinking about all the things I had missed out on, or that I didn't do with my children and my wife, Keane said.

The instances of cancer have increased dramatically over the past decade.

The HVP vaccine, however, remains controversial despite the clear evidence of a benefit for girls. Still less than 50 percent now get the vaccine.

Dr. Richard Besser, an ABC News contributor, said, This forces parents, when they have 11-year-olds or 12-year-olds, to think about their children's future sex life, and that's a hard conversation for a lot of parents to have. I think a lot of them are avoiding it and avoiding that vaccine.

Medical experts say American parents may be sacrificing their childrens health to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Oncologist Dr. Eric Genden said, These vaccines are very important. They are as important as polio and mumps, and all the other vaccines, that young kids receive.

A new study suggests the vaccine can also prevent heart disease in women.